The 65th Edinburgh International Film Festival has revealed the first titles from this year’s British section of the programme, including several world premieres.

Nine British and Irish films were announced in the press release ahead of the full programme launch later this month, and represent how the Edinburgh International Film Festival will continue to be a cutting-edge platform for UK film.

James Mullighan, director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival, said of the films selected:

“The Edinburgh International Film Festival has long been regarded as the ideal launch pad for important new British cinema and the place at which UK emerging talent is nurtured. The films announced today confirm that those twin traditions continue into 2011. Of the nearly 3000 films submitted to EIFF, 58 were British feature fiction films and we’re delighted to be in a position to showcase some of them to Edinburgh audiences in June.”

The titles receiving world premieres include David Hare’s Page Eight, starring Bill Nighy, Michael Gambon and Rachel Weisz; Karl Golden’s Weekender, starring Jack O’Connell and Emily Barclay; Niall MacCormick’s Albatross, starring Felicity Jones, Peter Vaughn and Jessica Brown-Findlay; Matthew Parkhill’s The Caller, starring Stephen Moyer, Rachel Lefevre and Luis Guzmán.

Other films to be included are David Mackenzie’s Perfect Sense, starring Ewan McGregor and Eva Green; Gaby Dellal’s Angel’s Crest, starring Jeremy Piven and Elizabeth McGovern; and Dan Turner’s Stormhouse, starring Katherine Flynn and Martin Delaney.

In addition, two films from first-time Scottish filmmakers will also be shown. Fast Romance is a romantic-comedy directed by Carter Ferguson, and Charlie Casanova is a crime thriller from writer/director Terry McMahon.

The 65th Edinburgh Film Festival will run from June 15th – June 26th, and mix groundbreaking global film with cutting-edge documentaries and shorts. The full programme will be launched at an event on May 17th.